The Patek Philippe Museum and the History of Time

  In 2001, Philippe Stern realized his dream when the Patek Philippe Museum opened to the public. The horological museum showcases over five centuries of watchmaking, including antique timepieces fashioned between the 16th and early 19th centuries. It also showcases a historical view of the company Patek Philippe, from their earliest timepieces made in the mid 1800s, to their technologically profound modern models.  

The Patek Philippe Collection

Occupying several floors in an authentic Art Deco building in Geneva, Switzerland, the Patek Philippe Museum features four distinct sections. The first floor features a small cinema, where a historical video plays on a loop. Here, visitors learn the history of the company, in particular how the founding partners met. Next, visitors step back in time to the early days of the Patek Philippe workshops. Watches, clocks, and timepieces dating as far back as 1839 evolve into contemporary pieces made in this century. Together, they beautifully tell the story of over 175 years of luxury watchmaking. This portion of the Patek Philippe Museum demonstrates the important contributions the company has made to horology. In particular, Patek Philippe prides itself in its advances in complications. For example, The Grandmaster Chime. The Grandmaster Chime, manufactured in 2014, commemorated the company's 175th anniversary. It features 20 complications, two dials, 214 parts, and 1,366 components. {source} In addition to a minute repeater, an instantaneous perpetual calendar, and a second time zone, The Grandmaster Chime also boasts two firsts for a wristwatch. For one thing, it has an acoustic alarm that strikes the alarm time. For another, it possesses a function that chimes the date. This exquisite wristwatch, fashioned from 18k gold and etched to artistic perfection, demonstrates not only the technical skill of Patek Philippe, but also their commitment to exquisite artistry. The intricate etchings and scroll work make this a masterpiece of timekeeping.  

The Antiques Collection

The next section of the museum is the Antiques Collection. Spanning time between the 16th and the early 19th centuries, the Antiques Collection focuses on the history of clocks and clockmaking. Every school and style of European horology are represented in this extensive and beautiful collection. Visitors see firsthand how ornate religious motifs gave way to more modern and simplistic designs. As well, museumgoers see the evolution from timekeeping as a man's domain to the introduction of ladies wristwatches. In addition, the museum exhibits a Fantasy Watch Collection and The Art of Automata Gallery. These house the museum's collection of horological art, such as musical automata and watches bearing enamel miniatures, all of which help tell the story of Swiss watchmaking.  

The Library of Time

The final floor of the Patek Philippe Museum hosts the extensive horological library. Here, visitors see letters written by the founders, books on physics and time, as well as documents and books about the mechanics of clocks and the mechanisms of keeping time. This portion of the museum houses in total over 8,000 documents and publications related to time and time measurement. Also featured are the wooden table and machine and tools used early on to manually manufacture their clocks.   Altogether, the Patek Philippe Museum portrays over 500 years of watchmaking history. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, with guided tours on Saturdays, available in either English or French. You will find all the details on the museum's website.